Travel Roundup: AirTran Trims, Airlines Lose $5.2B, Fairmont Expands and More

AirTran Airways drops Atlanta -- AirTran Airways plans to cut Atlanta flights by about 10 percent next year because of losses and market competition from Delta Air Lines. AirTran, which recently posted a $107.1 million third-quarter loss, said the cuts would be higher in Atlanta than other cities. [Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution]
IATA reports air cargo and passenger traffic tanks in September -- The International Air Transport Association reported today that international air cargo and traffic dropped hard last month and that airlines stand to lose $5.2 billion this year. One of the few bright spots, air travel to Latin America, grew 1.7 percent. [Source: Reuters]

Fairmont slates 11 hotels in the next year -- Fairmont Hotels & Resorts plans to open 11 hotels in the next year, including the Fairmont Beijing, Fairmont Battery Wharf in Boston, Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club and a restoration of the Savoy in London. More hotels are scheduled to open in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi , Pittsburgh, China, Cairo, South Africa and Vancouver, B.C. by the end of 2009. [Source: Fairmont]

Ferrill joins Best Western -- Phoenix-based Best Western hired Wendy Ferrill as the company's managing director of worldwide sales. Ferrill previously was sales and marketing director for Hotel Monroe in Phoenix. [Source: Hotel Executive]

Photo of Fairmont Battery Wharf courtesy of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.